The five Institute of Business Studies (IBS) scholarship winners were announced at the IBS campus, from among the indemnity forms received from 13 participating centres* of the 2009 Trukai Olympic Day Run.

The winners are:-

Fred Francis of Longo Village, PO Box 384, Southern Highlands Province

Vavine Iamo of PO Box 1588, Port Moresby

Evodia Sitaing of PO Box 2262, Boroko

Loddy Bertha of PO Box 6231, Port Moresby

McKenzie Gabebe of Alotau

Prior to the drawing of winners PNG Sports Federation & Olympic Committee Executive Mona-Lisa Leka said that IBS had generously made available two places for a Certificate of Accounting and another three places for a Certificate in Computing.

She said that IBS has been working in partnership with PNG Sports Federation & Olympic Committee (PNGSFOC) and Trukai, by awarding these scholarships for the past nine years. These scholarships have enabled lucky winners to get an educational qualification.

Ms Leka said that PNGSFOC in partnership with IBS and Trukai is happy to support education through sport and occasions like this present an opportunity for us to help make a difference and provide, through IBS an education for five lucky people.

Deputy Director of Institute of Business Studies Sadiq Ali said IBS was proud to be associated with sports and IBS believes in supporting school leavers and helping them achieve their dreams and go on to pursue a career of their choice. Mr Ali said each scholarship was for a certificate course that was valued at K3000, the 5 scholarships therefore stand at total value K15 000.

Mr Ali said: ”We have found that through partnership with the PNGSFOC, we have been able to offer an opportunity of an education through these draws.In this partnership of education and sport it is our firm belief that we can model and build good citizens of Papua New Guinea.”

The draws were held in January to coincide with the opening of the academic year and Deputy Secretary General of the PNGSFOC encouraged people from all participating centres of this year’s Olympic Day Run to send in the entries to go into the running to win scholarships from IBS.

*participating centres of the 2009 Trukai Olympic Day Run included: Goroka, Kavieng, Kimbe, Kokopo, Lae, Lihir, Madang, Porgera, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Lihir, Wewak, Tabubil and Mt Hagen.

Photo: PNGSFOC Executive Ms Mona-Lisa Leka (in black) looks on as Mr Sadiq Ali IBS Deputy Director calls out a winning entry and Vani Nades IBS Team Leader Innovations is all smiles.